


Blanks

by oatmealcrisp



Category: Until Dawn
Genre: Angst, F/M, bucketloads of angst, josh did a fatal research error, why blanks can actually hurt you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-19
Updated: 2015-10-19
Packaged: 2018-04-27 01:44:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5028877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oatmealcrisp/pseuds/oatmealcrisp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris couldn't let Ashley die. He doesn't hesitate, presses the pistol to the underside of his jaw, fires point blank and in so doing saves Josh's life.</p>
<p>(Alternat title: josh you dumbass)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blanks

He wasn't going to let her die.

The pistol was steady in his grip despite the quiver in his hands, the spin of the sawblades overhead grating into his nerves and dragging a claustrophobic kind of madness into his brain. Chris ground his teeth down tight and breathed in deep, tried not to think of Josh's screams as the blade cut into him but the noise was in his head all the same, superimposed over Ashley's shrieks and the image of her being split down the middle by relentless metal.

She was begging him, so so scared but ready to give her life for his. The reality of their comfortable study sessions in the library and passing glances in hallways and outings that could have been dates had they only confessed to each other sooner was gone and Chris took a second to lament the waste of time, the what could have beens as he pressed the muzzle of the gun to his jaw. Ashley's screams took on a louder and more frantic tone as she bucked and heaved against the restraints tying her down and lightning quick he debated the possibility of just not doing anything and letting the saws meet them both or even-

But no.

His choice. It wasn't much of one but it was easy to make.

His finger slipped over the trigger and Chris spared a quick prayer for Ashley's future mental health and the grief of his family, and then squeezed.

The blast was loud and then there was pain, agony splitting open his head and Chris felt breathless from it as he arched and then sunk into himself, his brain ablaze with it. 

Seconds passed, mind slowly recovering from the turmoil, the agony and bringing confusion with it. Wait, he thought as his head rolled, throat choking on his own air. Brain. Breathing. Oh God it hadn't worked, had he lost his face, why was he still alive?!

"No! Nonono get away!" It was fuzzy and indistinct but Ashley was still there and something was coming. 

Breathing deeply through his nose in quick hurried breaths he looked up, saw the blurry approaching figure and shot and-

Nothing happened? His glasses were gone, knocked off so he couldn't see right but that hadn't done anything, he knew it hadn't and what was going on, was he going mad?

"Oh Chris, Chris, Chris, Chris..." The figure stalked closer and he took a quick look at the gun, grip no longer so solid in his hand and he mustered a noise of confusion through the pain in his jaw. "Oh you've heard of blanks before? I mean, really?"

Chris felt his mind grind to a halt as the figure stepped closer, clearing into distinguishable features just in time for him to reach up and pull off the mask.

'This can't be real.' He thought, staring up into the face of his best friend who was dead, who was supposed to be dead but was smiling down at him and just-what?   
Blanks. The thought settled in slowly as a feeling of something rolled down his chin caught his attention and he raised his hand, the pistol clattering to the floor as he took stock of his face with tingling fingers. 

He recoiled instantly, doubling over in his seat as the pain shook him. His face was still there but something was wrong, it hurt so goddamn much and he couldn't feel his lip and his hearing seemed to have been blown out in his ear and there was blood on his fingers and Jesus Fucking Hotdogs what the absolute hell?

But he could hear laughing, Josh hyucking it up obliviously and across the table Ashley ground out their assailant slash friend's name with furious disbelief. Sam came into vision and behind him he picked up the faint sound of Mike likewise calling out for Josh who just-who just continued laughing. Chris could feel himself zoning out, the adrenaline rush turning toward brain-numbing fatigue as he tried to reconcile what was apparently happening.

None of it was real. None of it had...been real?

There were hands on his wrist, undoing the manacle sealing him to the chair and Mike was there, looking like he'd been through hell. 

"Jesus, Chris are you okay?" He asked in a low tone, pressing his glasses into his hands.

Chris muttered a low noise, slowly working his jaw as he cleaned the lenses on his shirt, the motion automatic. The pain in his face flared harder with the motion and his fingers paused, gripped the glasses tightly before slipping them onto his face. A glance around revealed nobody else waiting in the wings to come forward.

Jess. Where was Jess? And Matt and Emily?

"Oh CAN IT you shitlord!" Ashley surged to her feet and forward, only Sam's quick reflexes holding her back from a physical confrontation with Josh. Her voice became almost shrill. "You idiot, ohmygod blanks can still kill people you dumbass!"

The brunet blinked, pausing momentarily in the tirade that Chris hadn't exactly been listening to.

"Wh-what? No, it's uh, it's a blank Ash." Josh chuckled, gesturing at himself and the lack of bullet holes Chris had put into him. "It can't hurt you, it's just paper."

"YES IT CAN!"

He could feel Mike beside him, posture tense and looming as though he was barely holding himself back.

"Blank bullets," Ashley snarled, still pushing against Sam's arms. "Only completely lose effectiveness after about four feet. If you hold it to your head the impact of the explosion and the casing can still fucking kill you! It'll blow in your fucking skull into your fucking brain you fucking dumbass!"

"What-but-no it-I didn't kill anyone-" Josh stammered but Mike snarled and stalked forward.

"Bullshit. You killed Jess," The man shoved Josh back once, twice. "And now you try to kill Chris in some fucked up revenge prank?! I'm gonna fucking kill you!"

"Mike! Stop it, Josh doesn't know what he's doing!" 

Their voices were getting funny, muffled through a fog that was descending into his brain, into his ears.  
He reached up, held his forehead. The headache slash hangover from whatever knockout gas Josh had used was still pounding in his temples. And oh, that had been Josh who had punched him too then, before the first saw trick. That probably wasn't helping matters.

His entire face hurt.

Chris kind of just wanted this night to be over right now. What he wouldn't give to be curled up on the couch with his cat, with a video game, some ice cream and waffles maybe, his mom's special hot chocolate even. They'd all be perfect right about now. 

"...ris, Chris, hey, can you hear me?"

The blond blinked over at Ashley, slowly turning his face toward her and relishing the look of sympathy in her kind face. She muttered gently under her breath, the words not quite audible, and reached up to run her fingers gently through his hair, slipping closer to wrap him into an embrace that smelt faintly like perfume but mostly like the tang of blood. Miserable he curled into her, reaching up to return the hug with a hand on the small of her back.

He felt so tired. Letting his eyes fall shut the man sighed before mumbling a sound of protest as the redhead pulled back to get another look at his face. It was funny, even the vibrations of his voice in his throat seemed to hurt. His head rolled somewhat and she steadied it with a hand on his head and the undamaged side of his jaw, pulling his face toward the light and even through the hurt he decided he didn't mind her small fingers against his skin, not in the least.

"Guys..." Ashley murmured before repeating herself louder to catch the attention of the quarreling three a few feet away. "Guys, we should get Chris to the hospital, he's not looking so great."

He really wasn't. Already his jaw was bruising and swelling and his eyes were dazed, not quite focusing on much of anything. Probably a concussion too then, his head had gone back hard and fast enough for it.

She grimaced, shut her eyes briefly against the onslaught of images, memories only a few minutes old. The urge to break down again completely was pulling at her, tugging her toward the floor so she could curl up and bawl. Chris was usually the one to remind her to keep her head, to breathe deep, to stay calm in the face of anxiety and scary graphic novels. His gentle eyes and soft, steady voice had pulled her through so much, including tonight.

And he'd been willing to die for her. Ready to kill for her, willing to die for her and he very nearly had.

If Chris had pressed the gun to his temple instead...

Her imagination provided an image readily, of Chris dropping limply into his chair in an instant. She pushed it away with a sharper shake of her head and returned her gaze to the other three, locking eyes with Sam. She had to stay calm, she had to keep her head, she could do this and Sam would help her.

Sam's eyes fell from her to the man still slumped toward her, lips tightening before she nodded and turned toward Josh. Ashley breathed a sigh of relief as the other woman demanded the keys to the lift, blissfully thankful that Sam was here because Sam was always good at taking charge, at staying calm and rational. She loved her for it, she really did.

Mike approached, his grimly furious expression bringing his angst-ridden declaration back to the forefront of her mind. Ashley felt her heart give a pain in her chest, bit deep into her bottom lip as she ran her fingers through Chris's hair. Even gelled into his signature fauxhawk style it comforted her and judging by the way he leaned into her hand, he didn't seem to mind it much either.

"You said that Josh killed Jess...?" She asked, voice cracking.

Mike turned his gaze to the floor, avoiding her eyes, and reached up to drag a hand sharply over the back of his skull. Sharply he nodded.

"Grabbed her. Tore her through the door. I tried chasing them but I-" His lips tightened, eyes narrowing as he brought his arms to cross tightly over his chest. "I was too late."

"Oh Mike..." Ashley murmured in sympathy, hot tears pricking again at her eyes.

She lowered her head, eyeing the floor and closed her eyes to it, clasping a hand over her mouth to hold back the sobs she wasn't sure she could muster.  
Maybe Jessica wasn't the nicest of the lot, and she tried to play at being the dumbest too but she and Mike had been really close and, to Ashley, very in love. Neither of them deserved this cruelty and she twisted her lips with a hard sniff, scowling over at Josh as he and Sam approached.

Traumatized and off his med or not, that was no excuse to kill someone. None.

"We have the lift keys. We can get down the mountain, get to the hospital and call the police." Sam sighed and set her hands on her hips in a sharp, frustrated gesture. "But someone should stay behind. I haven't seen Matt or Emily at all, do you know where they went?"

"We split up. They went to check out the lift and get help I think." Ashley pulled her lips tight and thin. "But if there weren't any keys there then I'm not sure if they'd still be there."

Remembering past the haze of hysteria that had beset her after Josh's 'death' was difficult but she still remembered Chris's attempts to explain and his heaving sobs, Emily and Matt's shock, how they had split up. Chris's hand had been a solid weight on her, keeping her tethered to reality.

He was always there for her. She was never letting him go, never again.

"I'll stay." Mike nodded at Sam and them. "Help you get Chris down to the lift then I'll come back. Jess...I need to show the police where she fell."

"I'll wait upstairs in case Em and Matt make it back before you do. Do you think you guys will be okay with Josh and Chris?"

It wasn't even a question that Josh was coming with them. He very plainly needed further psychiatric help if he thought that any of what he had done tonight was okay or moral. Ashley glowered at the brunet in question, taking stock of him.

Currently he was standing quietly, seemingly dazed as he stared at the mess the gun had made of Chris's face as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was good to see he still had some of his faculties left at least, judging by the stunned guilt pulling at his expression.

Mike was watching him too, face set in an unforgiving scowl. "Yeah it won't be a problem."

The brunet's dark eyes turned to the seated blond and he pasted a smile that made his dirty, scratched face contort strangely in the light. "Okay Chris, c'mon buddy I need you to let me help you up alright?"

Stepping back, Ashley watched as Mike hooked Chris's arm around his shoulder, his own going around the blond's waist. The stance was a little awkward because Mike was over six foot and Chris was more around 5'8 but he got him up all the same. Chris wobbled on his feet, eyes shutting tight as he leaned deeply into the support with a sharp huff through his nose.

She moved over quickly at once, ducking under Chris's other arm to add further support. Clasping the green clad wrist tightly and taking a bit of guilty pleasure at the blond's heat and smell the redhead stepped in close then looked over at their defacto leader. Sam gave her a faint smile as she held out the keys but there was still anger simmering in her gaze.

Ashley understood it perfectly.

"Be careful out there okay?" The woman's voice was caring, stern, and delivered with a tilt of her head that promised retribution should they fail to obey.

"You too." Ashley smiled tightly, taking the keys and pressing them into the pocket of her shorts. "We'll leave the keys at the station for you guys. Get to the hospital as soon as you can okay?"

Sam nodded once and then Mike was mumbling to Chris, carefully repositioning his grip as they turned and began to make their way out of the basement, a section of it that she could recognize now that the panic had worn off. 

The stairs were somewhat perilous with Chris being as unsteady on his feet as he was. He was awake though, and at least partially aware as he slurred apologies to them but was silent for the most part and Ashley recognized the thoughtful look in his eyes, dazed and stained with pain though they may have been.

She could understand. Going over the experiences of the night, the terror and panic that they'd been subjected to at the hands of a person they thought was their friend, well it was difficult to rationalize. She felt hurt and she felt angry and betrayed and she wasn't nearly as close to Josh as Chris was. The pair were pranking peas in a pod, practically glued to the other's hip. She'd heard the story of how they met, all the way back in third grade and the pain that Josh had put the blond through mystified her. Making him chose...what kind of sickness made Josh think that was okay?

She would have figured they were closer than that, even to Josh's deluded mind.

"One thing I don't understand..." She began slowly, picking her words carefully as she turned to look at Josh who trailed behind them, Sam a silent sentinel at his back. "Chris wasn't even involved in the prank we played on Hannah, and neither was Sam. If this is revenge for that, why did you even involve them?"

Josh blinked at them, glazed grey eyes on her as he, sluggishly it seemed, tried to digest the question. His lips moved, brow contorting as he turned to look at his hands, picking at his nails, picking for an answer. 

"He was su-was s'posed to be the hero." He muttered, barely audible then glanced back at Sam. "Him 'n' Sam, it-you don't understand it makes perfect sense! In the movies you uh, you have-you have the heroes and they're the ones with the, you know the-the things, the trials, the hard choices and the pain but they uh, they prevail and get the girl," He glanced at Sam again and spoke quicker. "or-or the guy or whatever and it's what-it's what makes them the-the heroes and-"

"Except this isn't a movie." Mike's eyes were narrow and firmly ahead, refusing to even look at the half-mad brunet as they walked. "This is real life. Your thinking is fucking deluded if you think Sam and Chris deserved any of what you put them through for the sake of 'revenge' or some shit. And Jess-fucking hell she didn't deserve to die because your sis-"

"Mike. That's enough." Sam's voice was quietly forceful, causing the man to glance back and very carefully bite his tongue.

He glanced at Josh, who looked about ready to tackle him in a rage, and turned back ahead with a squeeze around Chris's waist. No picking fights, not right now.

That could be saved for later, much as the burn in his gut would be satisfied by delivering a right hook straight into Josh's stupid face. The hospital and police could deal with him and that would just have to be enough.

Almost to the door and his lips twisted in a faint grimace at the thought of going outside again, into the cold. He'd barely started to heat up from the last time. Running into the cold in a tank top probably wasn't the smartest choice he'd made tonight but there just hadn't been time. 

Breathing a quiet huff he turned back to look at the blond woman behind them.

"You sure you'll be okay by yourself?"

Her lips tilted upward in a quick smile. "Yeah, of course."

She seemed to hesitate then, eyeing Chris before walking forward and Mike turned them around carefully so they could face her. Sam stood in front of Chris, peering up into his swollen face and reached up to ruffle his hair.

"Don't fall asleep and keep your head on, alright Tex? At least this way you'll be back to civilization with all the wi-fi your phone can handle." 

She quirked a sideways grin up at him, gave his chest a firm pat and Chris snorted, eyes crinkling faintly with humor. He seemed about to reply but the motion of his jaw made him flinch and shut his eyes tight with a shiver.

Sam's grin turned sympathetic with a hint of a wince, blue eyes turning to the wreck that was the left side of his face. "And don't talk. Torture for you, I know."

"I for one am relieved we won't have to deal with concussed puns." Mike managed a grin, ignoring the expression of grief and guilt etched into every line of Josh's face, and turned them back around to open the door. 

Resettling his grip on Chris's wrist he began to move forward, smirking somewhat at Ashley's huff and glare.

"I'll be back soon, Sam. Alright Cochise, let's do this."

He gave a cool glance back at Josh. 

"Washington, stay with us." He ordered and together they stepped outside, into the snow and dark.

The walk to the cable car station was usually short but this time it felt long, the atmosphere tense and the darkness a potential threat. Mike breathed in the cold mountain air, the biting scent settling in his nose and bringing back far more pleasant memories that now felt tainted by anger and depression. Josh walked in front of them, cajoled there because Mike frankly didn't trust him one bit. Thoughts ran through his head, scenarios and he suddenly wasn't sure that he was all too keen on leaving the crazed Washington heir alone with the two walking next to him.

The logic for wanting to stay remained though. They'd just have to figure something out when they got to the station--tie him up or some shit.

"Hey Chris," He turned a glance down to the man and after calling his name again, Chris rewarded him with a muzzy look. "I know you and the fucker in front of us have been buddies for years but I think you'd be healthier in the long run if you cut ties. For your own safety, and her's."

His eyes flickered to Ashley meaningfully, the redhead stained by blood and sporting a massive shiner.

He watched with a hint of regret as Chris mulled over the thought, seeming to collapse into himself the further it sunk in. His head dropped and Mike could detect a hint of tremors rushing up his frame, grimaced and turned his eyes back ahead to find Josh watching them over his shoulder.

He narrowed his eyes in challenge, uncaring of the complete dejection scrawled across the psychopath's face or the tears shining on his cheeks. 

Fucker. He could deal with his misery alone in a cell for all Mike cared because God knew that it was exactly what he deserved.

The pain of losing Jessica, the memory of her beautiful face turned battered and scarred as she screamed for him when the lift platform dropped was almost too much. It burned away at him, leaving his chest hollow, the guilt and helplessness biting deep into his mind and refusing to let go.

She hadn't deserved that. She didn't. It hadn't been her fault, it hadn't.

And then to almost lose another friend on top of that, one who'd done absolutely nothing wrong unlike the rest of them, just made the burn of righteous fury go deeper. He hurt for Chris, sympathized with the betrayal he must be feeling after being put through hell by the guy that was supposed to be his best bro.

No, he couldn't afford to lose this one too.

"I'll check in on you two when we get back alright?" Mike said lowly as they approached the station, brows quirking as he took in the state of the open door as it swung in the wind. "Make sure you're okay."

He got a smile from Ashley, a sparse little thing that didn't do much to light up her face. Sideways they stepped through the entryway, out of the snow and into the station which frankly looked ransacked.

Looking around in disgust as the redhead ducked her way out from Chris's arm and made her way over to start the car, Mike uttered a snort and shook his head.

"Another level of your stupid prank?" He growled, taking in the uncreative scrawl of 'DIE DIE DIE' written on the control room wall. 

Josh said nothing to him, his arms wrapped tightly around his torso in a tight embrace, his head bowed against the trembles wracking his body. 

Mike rolled his eyes at the sight, gingerly eased Chris to the floor to settle him against the wall. "Hey Ash, you got a belt?"

"What? Yeah, just a minute."

The cable car was eased toward them and once it had docked the redhead slipped over, tugging her shirt up and quickly undoing the buckle on a thin, serviceable strip of leather. He appreciated the lack of questions but then again she was a pretty smart cookie, she probably already knew what he wanted it for.

He didn't bother being gentle. The Washington heir yelled out in pain as he grabbed him, pulled him back and jerked his arms behind him, quickly wrapping the belt around the other's wrists with a hiss into the smaller man's ear.

"So you can't hurt anyone else." He buckled it quickly and shoved him away, watching with satisfaction as Josh stumbled with a groan, rocking up and down at the hip with visibly grit teeth. 

"I'm nah-I'm not hurting anyone! I didn' hurt Jess n I didn't hurt Chris, I didn't mean to hurt Chris, it's na-not my faauult you fuckin sonofabitch, you asshole!"

"Yeah, yeah." Mike grunted as he hefted Chris back up.

Josh went on, a tirade of filth slipping easily from his mouth. He seemed to be coming further and further undone but he went forward without a struggle when Ashley pushed him into the car, a small relief to be grateful over.

Digging into his pocket, Mike held up his car keys with a shake as he followed, passed them over to Ashley once the woman had caught sight of them. "Take my car. Drive careful, call the police as soon as you can."

"Got it." He was granted a thin smile and he nodded as she accepted them, set Chris gently into the corner and backed out of the car. Standing back onto the platform he grasped the railing and watched as the car began its automated, slow descent back to ground.

For a moment he stood there, gazing after as it disappeared into the bleak dark and snow. Exhaling softly and folding his hands under his arms he turned and wearily began the trek back to the lodge.

Funnily enough, the rest of the night would provide him a bizarre sort of contradictory gladness that Josh had been such an oblivious asshole. At least Ashley and Chris had been spared the rest of the terror the night gave them, provided they had made it safely to ground.

\---

The interview room's door shut behind her and Sam breathed in the smell of the hospital hallway, simply standing there for a moment and watching the flutter of people before turning to find a bathroom. She was keenly aware of the blood flaking off her skin and wanted just as badly to be rid of it, be rid of any evidence of the horrendous night that was only just now ending.

She consoled herself with the knowledge of her friend's survival, each and every one of them making it out alive even if they weren't unscathed. Even Jess had made it out, despite Mike's initial assumption, battered and concussed and traumatized but alive. Sam had a feeling that Matt would be getting flowers.

Still.

The entire night had been a clusterfuck of epic proportions, first with Josh's obscene prank that had landed Chris in the hospital and then freak supernatural cannibals of all things. Confusion and uncertainty and terror had plagued them all, a potent brew of emotions and events that left her at least feeling numb and exhausted.

Pressing open the bathroom door, Sam was grateful to find herself alone, allowed her shoulders to slump as she dragged herself to the sinks, grabbed paper, turned the faucet.

The tap water was warm and she crumped the paper towel beneath it, shut it off and began to scrape at the blood. The scratches stung beneath the pressure but it was barely enough to be considered pain. She was probably the least injured of the lot and the hospital was busy as ever, there was no way that she'd be attended to any time soon.

Sam breathed out a long sigh and dragged her gaze to the mirror, taking in her dirty and battered self before giving her head a shake and tossing the wad into the trash. What she wouldn't give for another change of clothes and another long soak in a tub.

"This is going to take years of therapy." She muttered wryly under her breath, shook off her hands and left the bathroom to go find reception.

Thank God for Canadian health care.

**Author's Note:**

> sooooo
> 
> this was based off a couple things, posts on tumblr that i actually cant find and im a horrible person because of it someone please post a link if you know what im referring to
> 
> one talks about josh wanting sam and chris to be the heroes and thats why he puts them through so much bs and the other is about how the blank should've actually shattered chriss jaw.
> 
> also i used the actors heights and i made them canadian cussss i cant remember when they say theyre from LA like the ud wiki says they are??? o well if im wrong im wrong
> 
> article explaining blanks if youre interested: http://io9.com/5972313/why-a-gun-loaded-with-blanks-can-still-kill-you


End file.
